Anterior vestibular film for dental use

ABSTRACT

An attachment for a user&#39;&#39;s teeth in the form of a film which can be attached to and mates with said teeth and gives an outward appearance of a correct set of teeth.

United States Patent [191 Petrelli et al.

ANTERIOR VESTIBULAR FILM FOR DENTAL USE inventors: Juan Carlos Petrelli; Sanzio Soldan,

both of Buenos Aires, Argentina Assignee: Dentax S.A., Buenos Aires,

Argentina Filed: Jan. 13, 1971 Appl. No.: 106,012

Foreign Application Priority Data Jan. 13, 1970 Argentina 226,355

U.S. Cl. 32/2 Int. Cl. A6lc 13/00 Field of Search 32/2, 14, 71

[ Oct. 9, 1973 References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,654,387 12/1927 Stenz 32/71 2,383,027 8/1945 Tryfus et a1 32/71 1,654,387 12/1927 Stenz 32/71 Primary Examiner-Robert Peshock Attorney-Linton & Linton [57] ABSTRACT An attachment for a users teeth in the form of a film which can be attached toand mates with said teeth and gives an outward appearance of a correct set of teeth.

1 Claim, 4 Drawing Figures PAIENIEDBCI w 's'.7s3.5s4

INVENTORQ 7614 TUAN CARLOS PETRELLiMo s/mzlo SOLDAN ATTORNEYS ANTERIOR VESTIBULAR FILM FOR DENTAL USE The present invention is concerned with anterior vestibular films for dental use and has for its main object to provide an attachment easily applicable on the outer face of the human denture, for the purpose of correcting the alterations of position and shape that occur therein, without the need of orthodontic modifications.

Fundamentally the invention consists of an attachment made up of a film of variable thickness of elastic and flexible material whose axis is are shaped, has an inner face, an outer face, and an edge bent back, at least in part, toward the concavity of said are, delimiting on the outer face thereof a plurality of zones, each of which corresponds in position and form to a normal tooth, while the inner face has irregularly distributed zones, each of which matches in position and form the outer face of a tooth of the user.

Thus the film presents a variable thickness, which offsets the differences of position which the teeth of a user may have in relation to that corresponding to a normal denture or set of teeth, without resorting to corrective orthopedic or orthodontic devices.

By means of the attachment of the invention it is possible to modify the appearance of irregular teeth or dentures, in a simple manner, and although this is not a corrective means which brings malformed teeth into acceptable positions in a definitive manner, the objective, namely the attainment of a normal appearance of the teeth or denture, is largely achieved.

The process of production of the attachment is also simple and is carried out by the making of the molds of the users teeth or denture so that an arch matrix is obtained wherein are defined in position and form the malformed teeth of the user, and making a countermatrix which has a set of teeth of normal position and form imprinted therein, so that between the latter and the matrix there results the molding space of the film which forms the attachment.

in order that the invention can be carried into effect and can be understood with case, it has been represented in one of its forms of preferred realization, by way of information only and not by way of limitation, in the annexed drawing in which:

FIG. I is a front view of the present attachment.

FIG. 2 is a view of the inner face of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the attachment illustrated in FIG. 1; and

FIG. 4 is a view similar to that of FIG. 3 but showing the attachment in place on the teeth of the user.

In all figures the same references indicate equal or corresponding parts of the attachment, which consists of a film of variable thickness 1, of elastic and flexible material, whose axis 2 follows the form of an approximately normal dental arc. The material of which the film 1 is constructed may be an acrylic resin, of the group which comprises the self-curing and the thermocuring resins which can be molded by injection.

Said film 1 presents an outer face 3, an inner face 4, and an edge 5 bent back as indicated by the arrow f toward the concavity of the are 2.

The outer face 3 has delimited thereon a plurality of zones 6, each of which corresponds in position and form to a normal tooth, while the inner face 4 has irregularly distributed zones 7, each of which matches in position and form the outer face of each tooth 8 of the user.

In this way the film 1 presents a variable thickness, whereby are offset the differences of position which the teeth of a user may have in relation to those corresponding to a normal set of teeth or denture.

As has been said at the beginning of the present specification, the molding of the film is carried out by means of the use of an arch matrix, formed from the molds taken of the teeth or denture of the user and a counter-matrix of steel which bears the impressions of a normal set of teeth or denture, between which there is delimited the space of variable thickness that must be filled by the injection or pressing of an acrylic material which is to form the film.

The attachment having been obtained, it can be attached by temporary gluing to the teeth or denture of the user, who in wearing it corrects the appearance of his teeth, offering to said user the possibility of showing when his lips A are open, even if only temporarily, a perfect set of teeth or denture.

I claim:

1. An anterior vestibular film for dental use, comprising a film of variable thickness and of elastic and flexible material, whose axis is arc-shaped, has an inner face, an outer face and an edge bent back, at least in part, toward the concavity of the arc, and the film having delimited on its outer face a plurality of convex zones, each of which corresponds in position and shape to the contour of the outer face of a normal tooth, while the inner face of the film has a like plurality of concave zones each of which matches in position and shape the outer face of a natural tooth of the user, said attachment being free of a guru simulating portion and being also adapted to be glued to the natural teeth of the user. 

1. An anterior vestibular film for dental use, comprising a film of variable thickness and of elastic and flexible material, whose axis is arc-shaped, has an inner face, an outer face and an edge bent back, at least in part, toward the concavity of the arc, and the film having delimited on its outer face a plurality of convex zones, each of which corresponds in position and shape to the contour of the outer face of a normal tooth, while the inner face of the film has a like plurality of concave zones each of which matches in position and shape the outer face of a natural tooth of the user, said attachment being free of a gum simulating portion and being also adapted to be glued to the natural teeth of the user. 